Taking a look at NCAA tournament dream matchups

Wednesday

Mar 5, 2014 at 4:38 PM

By JOHN MARSHALLof The Associated Press

March Madness is ramping up with the conference tournaments starting this week and the NCAA tournament just around the corner. With the excitement building, it seems like a good time to start looking at match-ups. We’re not talking seedings, potential upsets, things like that. This will be more of a dream sequence, sort of like when Fletch played for the Lakers. We know the selection committee isn’t going to listen and most of these won’t happen, but it’s always fun to think what if. ———Creighton’s Doug McDermott against Duke’s Jabari Parker. McDermott may be the front-runner for national player of the year, but Parker hasn’t had too bad of a season himself — as a freshman. Kansas’ Andrew Wiggins against Arizona’s Aaron Gordon. Two of the nation’s best freshmen on two pretty good teams. Two of the game’s best dunkers, too. SMU coach Larry Brown against San Diego State’s Steve Fisher. These guys may be getting up there in age, but they sure can still coach. Kansas vs. North Carolina. Seeing Roy Williams go against his former team and the man who replaced him was fun in last year’s tournament, so why not do it again. Wichita State vs. Gonzaga. The new mid-major king against the most consistent. Kansas center Joel Embiid vs. Kentucky forward Julius Randle. Two future lottery picks going head to head. What’s not to like? Ohio State guard Aaron Craft against Louisville’s Russ Smith. Watching one of the nation’s best defenders trying to slow Russdiculous would be all kinds of fun. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski vs. Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim. They’re No. 1 and 2 on the career wins list in Division I, have won a few big games between them and have a budding rivalry now that the Orange are in the ACC. Oregon vs. BYU. Both are top-10 nationally in scoring, combining for 167 points per game. They would make the play-by-play announcers tired. Arizona State center Jordan Bachynski vs. New Mexico State center Sim Bhullar. That’s 14 feet, 7 inches of shot-blocking prowess. Boeheim vs. Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin. Just to see if they can blow their stacks at the refs again. Virginia vs. Clemson. The nation’s top two teams in scoring defense, for the defensive purists. Arizona coach Sean Miller vs. Dayton’s Archie Miller. Big bro Sean has always gotten more attention, but Archie has done well in his first head-coaching job. Though a mismatch on paper, the Flyers are scrappy, just like Archie. UCLA’s Kyle Anderson against UConn’s Shabazz Napier. Two of the nation’s best stat-sheet fillers can do a little of everything. Wichita State’s mascot vs. Stanford’s. Wheat vs. a tree. Doesn’t get any better than that. Baylor’s Brady Heslip against Michigan’s Nik Stauskas. Two of the nation’s best shooters going 3-to-3. Wichita State’s Tekele Cotton vs. Oklahoma State’s Markel Brown. Same thing as above, only dunk for dunk. Nebraska’s Terran Petteway against Utah’s Tyler Haws. Two of the best players you may have never heard of. Craft vs. Ole Miss guard Marshall Henderson. Fans will be trying to decide which one they hate the most.